Retraction device for drawers

ABSTRACT

A retraction device for drawers comprising a displaceable entrainment member ( 12 ) which is subjected to the force of two springs ( 14, 15 ) and which can be releasably coupled to a holding member ( 6 ) secured to a portion of an article of furniture. One of the springs ( 15 ) can be releasably coupled to the entrainment member ( 12 ) and one spring ( 14 ) is constantly connected to the entrainment member ( 12 ).

[0001] The invention relates to a retraction device for drawers or the like comprising a displaceable entrainment member which is subjected to the force of at least two springs and which can be releasably coupled to a holding member secured to a portion of an article of furniture.

[0002] A retraction device of that kind is known from German utility model DE 202 17 975 U.

[0003] The object of the invention is to improve a retraction device of that kind, such that it has a more uniform retraction characteristic and also a retraction capability which is still strong in the last range of closing movement.

[0004] The object according to the invention is attained in that at least one of the springs can be releasably coupled to the entrainment member and at least one spring is constantly connected to the entrainment member.

[0005] It is advantageously provided that the springs of an unequal length.

[0006] In general a drawer of that kind will be provided with two springs. When the drawer is pulled out firstly both springs are stressed, then the shorter spring is unlatched from the entrainment member and anchored in the stressed condition in the housing in which the entrainment member is displaceable. Upon further extension movement of the drawer the longer spring is then alone further stressed until that spring, together with the entrainment member, is anchored in a stressed condition in the housing. The drawer can then be freely pulled further out of the body of the article of furniture.

[0007] When the drawer is pushed in, the holding member comes into engagement in known manner at the entrainment member, releases it from its anchored condition on the housing and the drawer is first pulled into the body of the article of furniture only by one spring. The stress in the spring decreases over the retraction travel distance. When the stress in the spring has reached a predetermined lower value the second spring is coupled to the entrainment member and the drawer is now pulled into the body of the article of furniture by both springs jointly. The drop in spring stress or the drop in force in respect of the first spring is compensated by the use of the second spring.

[0008] A further embodiment of the invention provides that the entrainment member is mounted on a linearly displaceable slider which is engaged by a coupling member which is fixedly connected to at least one spring. Mounted in the coupling member is a rocker member which serves as a locking member and which arrests the coupling member on the one hand to the slider and on the other hand to the housing.

[0009] An embodiment of the invention is described hereinafter with reference to the Figures of the accompanying drawings in which:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an extension guide fitting with a retraction device according to the invention,

[0011]FIG. 2 shows an end view of a retraction device according to the invention,

[0012]FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a retraction device according to the invention,

[0013]FIG. 4 is a view of the retraction device according to the invention seen from below,

[0014]FIG. 5 shows an exploded perspective view of the retraction device according to the invention,

[0015]FIGS. 6 through 9 show views in longitudinal section through the retraction device according to the invention, the entrainment member and the coupling member being shown in various positions,

[0016]FIGS. 10 through 12 show perspective views of the retraction guide fitting according to the invention, corresponding to sections 6 through 9,

[0017]FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of the retraction device according to the invention seen from below, the entrainment member being shown at the rearmost end of the retraction travel distance,

[0018]FIG. 14 shows the same perspective view as FIG. 13, with the entrainment member being shown during the displacement travel,

[0019]FIG. 15 shows the same perspective view as FIGS. 12 and 13, the springs being stressed and the entrainment member being shown in its readiness position,

[0020]FIG. 16 shows a perspective view of the retraction device, the movable members being shown separately, with the exception of the springs, and

[0021]FIG. 17 diagrammatically shows the function of the retraction device according to the invention.

[0022] In the illustrated embodiment the retraction device 1 is mounted on the carrier rail 2 of an extension guide fitting. The carrier rail 2 is to be secured to a side wall of a body of an article of furniture in conventional manner. An extension rail 3 is secured to each side of the drawer. Arranged on the extension rail 3 at the drawer side is a downwardly projecting entrainment pin 6 forming the holding member with which the entrainment member 12 of the retraction device 1 can be releasably coupled.

[0023] The retraction device 1 has a housing 7 which is anchored on a horizontal limb of the carrier rail 2. The arrangement also has an anchoring member 5 for the springs 14, 15, which is also anchored on the horizontal limb of the carrier rail 2. Upon being mounted on the carrier rail 2, the housing 7 and the anchoring member 5 are spaced from each other. The spacing between the housing 7 and the anchoring member 5 determines the stress of the springs 14, 15 and thus the retraction force of the retraction device 1. The ends of the springs 14, 15 are fixedly connected to the anchoring member 5.

[0024] The entrainment member 12 of the retraction device 1 is mounted on a carriage 8 which is arranged displaceably in the housing 7, and is in the form of a tilting member. The entrainment member 12 has a projection, by means of which it is guided on a guide track of the housing 7.

[0025] The two springs 14, 15 are anchored on the one hand to the anchoring member 5 and on the other hand to the carriage 8. The spacing of the anchoring member 5 from the housing 7, as stated above, determines the stress of the springs 14, 15. The housing 7 is of a U-shaped cross-section and in the mounted condition covers the springs 14, 15 partially and the carriage 8 entirely.

[0026] The illustrated embodiment has two springs 14, 15 which are in the form of coil tension springs and which are disposed in mutually juxtaposed relationship in a plane which is parallel to the mounting plane of the housing 7. The term mounting plane is used to denote the plane in which the housing 7 is supported on the horizontal limb of the carrier rail 2.

[0027] When a stronger retraction force is required, it is also possible to use three and more springs. The height (the dimension perpendicularly to the horizontal limb of the carrier rail 2) of the housing 7 remains unchanged, and for that reason the retraction device 1 can also be installed in very low extension guide fittings.

[0028] The spring 14 remains constantly connected to the carriage 8. The spring 15 however is anchored in a coupling member 4 on which a rocker member 10 is mounted tiltably on a spindle 9.

[0029] The rocker member 10 has two latching noses 16, 17. The latching nose 16 is provided with an abutment surface 18.

[0030] The rocker member 10 couples the coupling member 4 either to the carriage 8 or to the housing 7.

[0031] In FIGS. 6, 10 and 17 the parts of the retraction device are anchored in the initial position, that is to say the springs 14, 15 are relieved of stress and the spring 15 is connected to the carriage 8 by way of the coupling member 4 and the rocker member 10. The holding member 6 of the extension rail 3 is anchored in the entrainment member 2.

[0032] If now the drawer and thus the extension rail 3 are pulled out of the body of the article of furniture, the holding member 6 pulls the entrainment member 12 together with the carriage 8 and the coupling member 4 anchored thereon in the direction of the arrows A in FIGS. 6, 10 and 17, the springs 14 and 15 being stressed. In that case the rocker member 10 is engaged with the latching nose 17 at a holding surface 22 of the carriage 8. The rocker member 10 is held in that position by the upper closure wall 7′ of the housing 7.

[0033] The housing 7 has an opening 20 in its upper closure wall 7′. As soon as the latching nose 16 is below that opening 20, the rocker member 10, by virtue of the force which acts on the latching nose 17, is tilted in the clockwise direction and, as shown in FIG. 8, the latching nose 16 latches in the opening 20, in which case the abutment surface 18 bears against a counterpart surface 21 of the opening 20 or the housing 7.

[0034] Due to that rotary movement of the rocker member 10 the latching nose 17 releases the holding surface 22 and the carriage 8 is uncoupled from the coupling member 4 while the coupling member 4 is anchored by way of the rocker member 10 to the housing 7. The spring 15 is so-to-speak parked in the stressed position. The entrainment member 12 and the carriage 8 are moved further, in which case the spring 14 is further stressed. As soon as the entrainment member 12 has reached its end position, it is pivoted by virtue of the angled configuration of the control track in the housing 7 and releases the holding member 6. The drawer is now moved freely along the carrier rails and the retraction device 1 remains in the readiness position.

[0035] When the drawer is closed and the holding member 6 latches in the opening 23 of the entrainment member 12, the entrainment member 12 is tilted out of its latching position and pulled by way of the carriage 8 by the spring 14 into the body of the article of furniture. During the retraction travel the tension and thus the force of the spring 14 decreases. When the carriage 8 has reached the position shown in FIG. 8 the nose 24 of the carriage 8 bears against a counterpart surface 25 of the rocker member 10 and the latching nose 16 of the rocker member 10 is urged out of the opening 20, in which case the holding effect between the abutment surfaces 18, 21 is nullified. At the same time the latching nose 17 of the rocker member 10 engages behind the holding surface 22 of the slider 8 and the coupling member 4 is thus coupled by way of the rocker member 10 to the slider 8. The spring 15 now also acts on the slider 8 and thus on the entrainment member 12 and the drawer is pulled jointly by the springs 14, 15 into the body of the article of furniture, into its rearmost position. The loss of stress in the spring 14 over the retraction travel distance is cancelled out by the spring 15 being brought into effect and the drawer is very uniformly pulled into the body of the article of furniture.

[0036] In its front region the coupling member 4 is of a U-shaped cross-sectional configuration and in that region the rocker member 10 is mounted on a spindle 9.

[0037] In the illustrated embodiment the retraction device 1 is arranged on the stationary carrier rail 2 and the entrainment pin 6 is arranged on the extension rail 3 which is towards the drawer. The reversed arrangement, that is to say the retraction device 1 on the extension rail 3 and the entrainment pin 6 on the carrier rail 2, would also be possible. 

1. A retraction device for drawers or the like comprising a displaceable entrainment member which is subjected to the force of at least two springs and which can be releasably coupled to a holding member secured to a portion of an article of furniture characterised in that at least one of the springs (15) can be releasably coupled to the entrainment member (12) and at least one spring (14) is constantly connected to the entrainment member (12).
 2. A retraction device as set forth in claim 1 characterised in that the springs (14, 15) of an unequal length.
 3. A retraction device as set forth in claim 1 characterised by a coupling member (4) which is fixedly connected to at least one spring (15) and which during the displacement travel of the entrainment member (12) couples an end of said at least one spring (15) alternately either to the entrainment member (12) or a housing (7) in which the entrainment member (12) is displaceable.
 4. A retraction device as set forth in claim 2 characterised in that the entrainment member (12) is mounted on a linearly displaceable slider (8) which is engaged by the coupling member (4).
 5. A retraction device as set forth in claim 3 characterised in that a rocker member (10) is mounted in the coupling member (4).
 6. A retraction device as set forth in claim 5 characterised in that the rocker member (10) has two latching noses (16, 17), of which alternately one is in engagement with a holding surface (21) of the housing (7) and one is in engagement with a holding surface (22) of the slider (8).
 7. A retraction device as set forth in claim 5 characterised in that the rocker member (10) is mounted in the coupling member (4) tiltably on a spindle (9).
 8. A retraction device as set forth in claim 6 characterised in that the holding surface (22) of the slider (8) is in the form of a control cam.
 9. A retraction device as set forth in claim 6 characterised in that the holding surfaces (21, 22) are provided beside openings (20) in the housing (7) and in the slider (8).
 10. A retraction device as set forth in claim 5 characterised in that the coupling member (4) has a region of U-shaped cross-section, in which the rocker member (10) is mounted.
 11. A retraction device as set forth in claim 1 characterised in that provided on the slider (8) is a control nose (24) which tilts the rocker member (10) and thus couples the coupling member (4) to the slider (8).
 12. A retraction device as set forth in claim 6 characterised in that the rocker member (10) is mounted in the coupling member (4) tiltably on a spindle (9).
 13. A retraction device as set forth in claim 2 characterised in that provided on the slider (8) is a control nose (24) which tilts the rocker member (10) and thus couples the coupling member (4) to the slider (8).
 14. A retraction device as set forth in claim 3 characterised in that provided on the slider (8) is a control nose (24) which tilts the rocker member (10) and thus couples the coupling member (4) to the slider (8).
 15. A retraction device as set forth in claim 4 characterised in that provided on the slider (8) is a control nose (24) which tilts the rocker member (10) and thus couples the coupling member (4) to the slider (8).
 16. A retraction device as set forth in claim 5 characterised in that provided on the slider (8) is a control nose (24) which tilts the rocker member (10) and thus couples the coupling member (4) to the slider (8).
 17. A retraction device as set forth in claim 6 characterised in that provided on the slider (8) is a control nose (24) which tilts the rocker member (10) and thus couples the coupling member (4) to the slider (8).
 18. A retraction device as set forth in claim 7 characterised in that provided on the slider (8) is a control nose (24) which tilts the rocker member (10) and thus couples the coupling member (4) to the slider (8).
 19. A retraction device as set forth in claim 12 characterised in that provided on the slider (8) is a control nose (24) which tilts the rocker member (10) and thus couples the coupling member (4) to the slider (8).
 20. A retraction device as set forth in claim 8 characterised in that provided on the slider (8) is a control nose (24) which tilts the rocker member (10) and thus couples the coupling member (4) to the slider (8). 